Chapter 6: Girls Talk
Soon the waiters came back with tray loads of food. All the dishes barely crammed onto the table.
"Wow..." Misaki said, not sure which dish to try first.
"Here," Takumi said, placing some food in her bowl. "Start with these,"
"The fish is really good," Kuuga said. "We should come here more often."
"It so nice to have such a friendly dinner," Sakura agreed. "Suzana, make sure you come back and visit!"
"I'll try," Suzana said. "I don't think I could dine like this everyday though,"
"You can be a gym junkie like, Misa," Ruri teased.
"Hey," Misaki said. "I now eat without guilt," she said, popping a piece of chicken in her mouth.
"I'm going to regret this..." Sakura muttered, nibbling on a baby back rib.
"How about some late night swimming after this...?" Ruri suggested. "Our place! We can have a girls night!"
"Oh I like that!" Sakura agreed.
"Pool and cards inside for the guys," Tora suggested.
"I'm up," Kuuga agreed.
"It sounds fun," Misaki said. "But Suzana, will you be too tired...?"
Suzana shook her head. "Sounds fun. I heard Ruri's pool looks great!"
Ruri nodded, excitedly. "You missed the grand opening but hey! You can come see it tonight!"
"But we don't have swimsuits," Misaki pointed out.
Ruri scoffed. "I have a whole collection. It's on me,"
Misaki nodded. "Alright, it's set then,"
Takumi nodded and got Misaki another bowl of sweet and sour soup.
"Thanks Takumi," Misaki said.
"Mhm..." Takumi said, patting her knee. His fingers trailed up her thigh-
"Takumi!" Misaki exclaimed, slapping his hand.
"What?" he asked innocently.
"Stop it,"
"Stop what?"
"Do you want to die...?"
"Not exactly..."
"Then cut it out,"
"Talk about messing around under the table," Tora tsked.
"Darling," Ruri scolded. "Be nice."
"Yes yes," Tora said, holding up his glass. "Apologies to Misaki."
Misaki clinked glasses with him. "Apology accepted."
"Ruri, where is your new swimsuit collection from?" Sakura asked.
"Have you heard of Sunkiss Everlasting?" Ruri asked.
"Oh," Misaki said.
"Misaki has heard of it...?" Ruri asked.
Misaki blushed. "There was a huge billboard by the mall," she explained.
Sakura nodded. "I think I read about it in a magazine. Did you buy the entire collection?!"
"All five pieces," Ruri announced.
"We can't just wear your nice swimsuits," Misaki said.
Ruri shrugged. "They're just swim suits. There's a new collection every season."
"Is this a brand?" Suzana asked.
Ruri nodded. "A French designer...I think I'll wear the green one, Misaki should have the maroon one, Sakura autumn orange and Suzana sapphire blue."
It wasn't before long that they finished all the food.
"Who gets to pay the check...?" Tora asked.
Everyone looked at each other. "Not Suzana," Misaki said. "They're the guests. I'll pay,"
"No no," Sakura said. "I picked the restaurant, I'll pay,"
"It's under our name," Takumi argued. "We'll pay."
"I can't let you guys pay for all of this,"'Hinata said. "Why don't we all chip in? Four way split?"
"Or..." Tora said, putting a bottle of tequila in the center. "Let's have a little competition..."
"Misaki's out," Sakura teased.
"No, I'm in," Misaki said, smirking.
"Okay rules," Kuuga said. "Teams are the couples. Last one standing will pay,"
This may sound really dangerous but they were pretty mature about drinking games. You were "out" as soon as you felt a little drunk. It wasn't like drinking till you're under the table but when you started feeling the buzz.
"Shot one," Tora said, pouring everyone a glass. The tequila was really watered down to make the game last longer. Everyone laughed and drank it.
"Don't over do this..." Takumi whispered to Misaki.
"I know," Misaki said, downing a second shot.
"I'm done," Suzana said after the third shot.
"Okay same..." Hinata said, finishing his fourth.
"Okay 7 for team Shintani," Kuuga said. "Alright cheers," he said, gulping down another shot.
Misaki wasn't that much better than her sister. Takumi took her glass away after the fifth one.
"You're done," he said, holding the glass out of her reach.
"I'm not..." Misaki said, trying to get the glass. "It's really watered down. It doesn't even burn your throat."
"You're still done," Takumi said, drinking his own.
"Gimme the cup,"
"No, sorry beautiful,"
"I'm done," Sakura said, setting her cup down. "6..."
"Man..." Tora said, filling his glass. "Can we not water it down so much? I don't know if my bladder will hold a liter of water..."
"Come on," Kuuga said. "It's for the ladies. None of them are drinkers."
"I'm not a drinker either," Tora muttered. "But I prefer something stronger than tequila flavored water,"
Ruri laughed. "You're on your own then, honey," she said dropping her glass.
In the end, Takumi picked up the checkbook. "So we still up for some cards...?" he asked.
"Definitely," Tora said. "I have to use the restroom first..."
"Same!" everyone in the room said.
"Tonight was so fun," Suzana said, washing her hands.
Misaki nodded. "The night's still young," she said, grabbing a paper towel.
Takumi called their driver to drive them to Tora's place.
"Do we need the driver to go home?" Misaki asked when they got out of the car.
Takumi shook his head. "I'm not drinking for the rest of the night. I'll be fine to drive in a few hours."
The girls all sat around in Ruri's bedroom. Ruri's bedroom was very chic. It was done in all neutral colors like black, white and grays but had pops of metallic silver and smoky blue.
"Here are the swimsuits!" Ruri said, sliding open her closet. The swimsuits were on display in the very front of the closet.
"Here's yours," Ruri said, handing Misaki a bikini. "And yours and yours,"
Misaki wiped off her makeup and tied her hair in a ponytail. The bikini was a rich maroon color that went well with Misaki's dark hair. It has tiny gold studs for embellishment.
"Gretta!" Ruri called. "Can you bring some chilled drinks to the side of the pool?"
"Yes ma'am,"
"Thank you!"
Gretta was Ruri's housekeeper. She was a middle aged woman who had a warm smile.
"Let's take a picture," Ruri said picking up her phone.
The girls all put their heads together and smiled for a photo.
"Perfect," Ruri said. "Let's go swimming!"
The girls stepped out into the cool night with towels in hand.
"Wow Ruri," Suzana said. "This is the nicest pool I have ever seen."
Ruri smiled. "I heated the water so it should be nice and warm."
"I'll go in first!" Misaki yelled, jumping into the pool. "It feels amazing!" she said, waving for her friends to jump in. The girls laughed and all leapt into the water.
"I haven't been swimming in a long time," Misaki said, back stroking.
"The drinks, Ms. Ruri," Gretta said, placing the tray by the poolside.
"Thanks Gretta," Ruri said, swimming over to the edge. There were martini glasses with colorful drinks on the tray.
"Cheers to the Housewife Club!" Ruri said grabbing a lime green drink.
Misaki grabbed a bright blue drink and clinked glasses with everyone. "Mmmm..." Misaki said, tasting the drink. "This is delicious!"
Sakura put her bright pink drink back on the tray. "Let's swim over to the shallow end," she suggested.
Misaki quickly swam to the other side of the pool and sat on the steps. She leaned back so her shoulders were covered by the warm water.
"Let's play truth or dare," Ruri suggested.
"Yes!" Sakura said. "Misaki, truth or dare?"
"Truth,"
"Open or closed mouth kiss?"
Misaki blushed.
"Tell the truth!" Sakura said, waving her finger at Misaki.
"Open," Misaki admitted, blushing.
The girls all giggled.
"Ruri," Misaki said. "Truth or dare?"
"Dare!" Ruri said.
"I dare you to backflip off the diving board," Misaki said.
"Easy," Ruri said, standing up. Water dripped down her body as she walked over to the diving board. Ruri easily back flipped off the diving board and gracefully into the water.
"Suzana, truth or dare?" Ruri asked, sliding back into the water.
"Truth,"
"Scale of 1-10, how romantic was your wedding night?"
Suzana thought about it. "I'd give it a...8,"
"Ohh..." Sakura said. "High standards..."
"Sakura," Suzana said. "Truth or dare?"
"Truth..."
"Guilty pleasure in the bedroom?" Suzana asked, with a innocent smile.
"Oh Suzana," Sakura said. "It's always the quiet ones you got to watch out for...Uhh I don't know...I really like cheesy music in the background..?"
Misaki was rather dreading Suzana's questions. "Be easy on me..." Misaki said, nervously.
"Truth or dare...?"
Misaki swallowed. "Uh dare..."
Suzana smirked. "Your dare is to walk into the basement where the guys are with a bowl of apples and kiss Takumi."
The girls all laughed. Misaki wanted to die.
"In my swim suit?"
"In your swim suit,"
"Why a bowl of apples?"
"Because it will look funny..." Suzana said, getting out of the water.
"Gretta!" Ruri called. "Get Misaki a bowl of apples!"
Misaki dried herself off and slowly headed downstairs. Her friends all heartlessly trailed behind her, giggling.
"Takumi is going to get mad..." Misaki hissed.
"Oh, just ask him seductively if he wants an apple..." Suzana said, pushing her sister into view.
"Misaki?" Takumi asked, looking up from their pool game.
"Hey Honey," Misaki said, walking over. "Are you hungry...?" she squeaked.
"Uh...I'm fine..." Takumi said. "Are you drunk...?"
"No!" Misaki exclaimed. "Do you...uh..." All eyes were on her. Kuuga was literally about to make a shot but he paused to watch.
"Take an apple!" Misaki exclaimed.
Takumi picked one up. He leaned over. "Did you drink..?" he asked in a serious tone.
Misaki was practically running back to her friends.
"You forgot the kiss!" Rurik hissed.
"Ugh!" Misaki groaned, turning back around. She ran back over, threw her arms around Takumi and kissed him. Takumi was rather caught off guard. It was literally like a kiss and run.
"That was so embarrassing!" Misaki exclaimed as they all walked back out to the pool.
"Takumi's face!" Sakura laughed. "Are you drunk...?" she mimicked.
Misaki picked up her drink and finished it. "I'm never going to hear the end of this one..."
"Misaki, your turn to ask,"
"Sakura, truth or dare?"
"Truth,"
"Most embarrassing couple story," Misaki said, getting another glass, bright yellow this time.
Sakura thought about it. "When Kuuga proposed," she decided. "I burst out crying because I was so happy. I left Kuuga on one knee on the sidewalk for a good minute. The press thought I had rejected him at first and was crying because I felt bad..."
"Ouch..." Suzana said.
"Let's hear proposal stories!" Ruri suggested. "Misaki go first."
Misaki sighed. "But all of you were there when Takumi proposed. In fact, the entire world was practically there!"
Suzana laughed. "I saw it on TV..."
Misaki, Takumi and their friends had been in England for Takumi's official taking over of Walker Corporations. There was a huge party with lots of press and Takumi was giving a speech. His speech went something like this:
"Everyone asks me the secret to my success and I have to say I owe it to one person. That one person who inspires me and makes me become the best I can... I honestly would be nothing without her... This is rather a sudden decision but as I'm standing in front of all of you and I have come to realize something. I never want to be without this amazing person so I'm going to take a little detour."
Takumi left the podium and walked over to the table they had been sitting at.
"Ayuzawa Misaki," Takumi said, taking her hand. "I can't live without you. You are my better half, my soul mate, my lover, my best friend...why not be my wife too?"
Takumi got down on one knee and pulled out a box. "Misaki, will you marry me...?" he asked, opening the ring box.
And so on live TV and in front of everyone, Misaki accepted.
"I will," Misaki whispered.
"Its romantic!" Sakura sighed.
Misaki rolled her eyes and sipped her drink. "I suppose..." Misaki went to stand up but her vision started tilting. "Ruri, is there alcohol in this...?" she asked, sitting back down.
Ruri sipped her own and swished it around in her mouth. "Maybe..." she said. "I think I faintly taste some."
"Great..." Misaki muttered. "I really am getting drunk..."
"You can barely taste it," Sakura said. "This tastes really good though."
"Sakura!" Kuuga called. The guys were walking over. "You ready to head back?"
"Sure!" Sakura said, setting down her glass. The girls got up and walked over by the deep end where they were standing.
"I'm ready to turn in," Tora said, wrapping an arm around Ruri.
"Where's your bag?" Takumi asked Misaki.
"Its on the table," Misaki said. "I'll go get it." Misaki stepped in a puddle of water and slipped. Everyone watched in horror as Misaki fell into the pool.
Takumi jumped in after her, clothes and all.
"Here," Kuuga said holding out his arms.
Takumi pulled Misaki out of the water and Kuuga helped pull her onto the edge of the pool. Misaki coughed out some water.
"I'm fine..." she said.
Takumi climbed out of the pool, soaking wet. He pushed his wet hair back and patted Misaki's back.
"You didn't have to jump in..." Misaki said, shivering. "I know how to swim."
"Sorry," Takumi said, wrapping a towel around her shoulders. "Instinctive response."
"You're all wet now..." Misaki said.
"Just a little water," Takumi said, unbuttoning his shirt and wringing out the water.
Ruri got more towels and Misaki's bag.
"Well, its been fun," Takumi said, patting Misaki's head.
"Bye," Misaki said. "Thanks for having us over," she said to Ruri.
Misaki and Takumi left first with Suzana and Hinata. Takumi slung her bag over his shoulder and swept Misaki up.
"Hey, I can walk!" Misaki exclaimed.
"You might drown again," he teased lightly.
It was really late when they got home. Everyone quickly showered and all collapsed into bed.
"You're still cold," Takumi said, rubbing her hands.
"I'll be fine," Misaki promised.
Takumi tucked the blanket around her. "I love you,"
Misaki blushed. "I-I love you too..."